What’s the difference between commercial and residential locks and hardware? Why should they even be different–aren’t locks just locks?
Although locks and hardware for businesses and residences work in the same way, they’re designed to deal with different demands. Generally, a business will have many more people coming through the doors than a residence will, so it’s important to make sure that commercial locks meet certain standards to make sure they don’t wear down and break quickly.
The most used standard by which locks are judged is the grade given to them by the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI–a nonprofit organization that sets standards for locks, among other things. When ANSI grades door locks and hardware, they look for durability and longevity. From highest to lowest, the grades are grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3. But what do these grades mean, and what is each grade useful for?
Grade 3 locks provide basic residential security. They meet the basic standards for operation and security set by ANSI, but they don’t exceed those standards by much. They’re still safe, but they won’t stand up to frequent heavy use. Unless your home is extraordinarily busy, a grade 3 lock will suit it just fine, providing you with long-lasting protection. If, however, you have a home whose doors see much more use than usual, it might be a good idea to go to a higher grade of lock.
Grade 2 is meant for heavier residential use, as well as light commercial use. Apartment buildings often have more foot traffic than single-family houses, so grade 2 locks are often used there. In addition, houses with lots of people living in them might benefit from grade 2 locks. They’re also perfect for light commercial use, including most types of offices. Offices, like apartment buildings, generally have more people coming in and out than houses do, so they need locks and door hardware that won’t wear out as quickly as grade 3 locks. However, most offices won’t need anything higher than grade 2, either.
Grade 1 locks are the toughest of all–it’s the highest grade that ANSI gives, and the locks and hardware given this rating are meant for heavy commercial use. Grade 1 locks and hardware are usually reserved for buildings that large numbers of people coming through every day. Oftentimes, high-traffic public buildings like schools, hospitals, and museums will be equipped with grade 1 locks. However, if you’re particularly worried about security or longevity of the locks in your house, or if your office locks and hardware seem to be wearing out much more quickly than they should, you may want to look into outfitting your doors with grade 1 locks and hardware.
The expert locksmiths here at Advanced Lock and Security have experience in working with both residential and commercial locks. We provide all kinds of lock services, like rekeying (also known as changing the locks) and lock repair. Whatever grade of lock you need work done on, we have the necessary experience. Call us today, and keep your locks working right!
